Auction
by AppleLass
Summary: It's Breast Cancer Awareness month in Eureka, and to raise money for research at GD, an auction of GD personnel is held. Jo/Zane fic.


Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Eureka or its characters.

A/N: This takes place after "Crossing Over" where Zane's starting to show a little bit of concern/attraction for Jo when she winds up with a bullet in her chest, but there's no Zoe complication yet. Thanks again for all of the comments I've been getting on my stories, and enjoy!

XXXXX

"Absolutely Not."

"As your boss I could order you to. I could make it part of your job description."

"Not if you want me to leave my guns at home," Jo snapped. She stood, arms folded and stance defensive, in Fargo's all-white office.

"Come on Jo, even Dr. Blake has agreed to participate. It was even sort of her idea." He was starting to get a little whiney. "Listen, Jo, it's not a real date. People bid on the chance for an evening with you. Local businesses donate a dinner or a movie. Directly after the auction, you and the highest bidder, after they have paid of course, go out for a few hours. You talk about the research we're doing at GD, and after a few hours of playing nice, go home."

"You're asking me to sell myself, Fargo. It's degrading."

"I'm asking you to donate your time, just like Cafe Diem is donating food, just like the Portland Ballet Company is donating tickets." He wiggled his eyebrows. "I got them just for you. You're billed as being a dangerous date on the town - ballet and handcuffs."

"Ballet and handcuffs?" Horrified. She was horrified... and maybe a little amused.

"And... I already had the programs printed." Fargo cringed as if he expected her to hit him. She was seriously considering it. She was almost touched Fargo thought about what she would want to do on a fake date, except it was a little creepy.

"Fine," she finally snapped. Jo spun on her power heels and enjoyed the feeling as her slick ponytail snapped in the air behind her as she marched out.

Jo sighed when she got back to her office. In truth she was a little glad to be helping. Her mother had breast cancer when Jo was small, and had she still been alive, she would be proud of Jo for working for a company that was on the forefront of cancer research. Her father, of course, would be proud of her for working at a company that was at the forefront of military technology research. If she had been allowed to tell him.

The worst part now was that she had to find something to wear.

XXXXX

Fargo had made sure to ask, well, tell, Jo about the auction as late as possible. Maybe because he was trying to minimize the time in which she had to back out. Or kill him.

He had wrangled five of the more visible or notorious female employees for his little auction, including her and Allison. It was being held at Cafe Diem, and Jo opted to bring her outfit with her, rather than show up already dressed.

Allison was already there, helping to set up. There were pink balloons and streamers everywhere, making the usual cozy cafe look like a junior high prom. The older woman was dressed in a clingy black dress with a demure black cardigan thrown over it.

"I didn't know you were one of the organizers."

Allison smiled in greeting. "Hey Jo! I wanted to thank you again for helping out with this auction. Ever since the DED disaster, the General hasn't been to kind about giving us new funds for non-weapon research."

"It's for a good cause, even if I'm not excited about the auction part of it."

"Well, they're only bidding on your time, Jo. We'll be getting started in about 30 minutes." She motioned outside to where half of the town's residents were waiting, somewhat patiently. Vincent seemed to be outside, himself dressed in a suit, trying to clam the masses.

"I better get dressed then." Jo lofted her bag of accoutrements and sought out the bathroom.

XXXXX

She was nervous. Josefina Lupo, who could stare down the barrel of a gun from either end and not blink, was nervous. There was the initial fear of humiliation of not being bid on at all, or of being the "package" bid on the least, but really it strutting out there in her new outfit and having all those eyes on her. Including Zane.

She had seen him from the "backstage" area where Fargo had stuck all the women while they were waiting. "Next time we should put the men up for sale," Jo muttered to Allison. They were the last two, and stood in the back watching Fargo ham it up for the crowd.

Too soon it Jo's turn. Allison, being the head of the medical research department, would be last. "Remember Jo, smile. It's for charity."

"Smile, Jo," she muttered through clenched teeth. Then the curtain was pulled back and she was momentarily blinded by the spotlights.

She had a runway she was supposed to walk down, and from the end could encourage the bids to reach higher. As she sauntered to the end, Fargo read aloud her "package."

"Live for danger? Bid on Auction Package #4, Josefina Lupo, and get a little spice in your evening. One lucky winner will receive a night on the town to the Portland Ballet with GD's own Head of Security. She will even bring her handcuffs if you ask nicely."

Jo rolled her eyes, but she noticed with pleasure how the crowd was reacting to her ensemble. She had found a floor-length, skin tight red strapless dress with a slit up to her thigh. Her hair was down and glossy, and she wore black stilettos. Luckily she knew how to run in any type of footwear.

Her forced smile turned into a slightly embarrassed one when the cheering started. She tried not to enjoy it, but even Jo liked to feel pretty now and then.

"Now that there is a woman," she heard Dr. Grant say to his neighbor. When she looked over, she saw that his neighbor was actually Zane. Feeling playful, she gave the two men a wink. Dr. Grant looked openly appreciative, while Zane looked a little astonished. She watched the edges of his mouth curl up into a surprised smile before she looked away.

Carter was polite and offered in the first bid, although the relief was evident on his face when he was quickly outbid. In fact, there was a bit more bidding going on than Jo had anticipated. Dr. Grant threw in his hat once or twice, and unfortunately Fargo did as well.

Fargo was actually the leading bid until a voice called out a figure twice as high - Zane's. Jo's eyes grew wide and she stared in astonishment at his challenging smirk. She missed Carter glaring at Fargo, and the head of GD's resigned sigh.

"Sold, to Zane Donovan," he acknowledged bitterly. "On to our last auction!"

Zane reached up a hand. Jo used it to jump lightly down from the stage, landing a little too close to him. She flicked her hair over her shoulder and cleared her throat awkwardly. "Thanks."

"Yeah, uh, I'm going to go, uh, pick up the tickets and..." He pointed nervously over his shoulder and back away, bumping in to a few people, a goofy grin still on his face.

Jo smiled and bit her lip. She never would have dreamed that this Zane would have bid so much to win her. It was flattering, if confusing. He was supposed to hate her still, right? She had really appreciated it when she had woken up in the GD infirmary to find him there, by her side. In fact, she had almost forgotten this was a different timeline.

"Be nice to the poor kid," Dr. Grant said over her shoulder. Jo smiled as she turned.

"Hmm?"

"Mr. Donovan. He's acting as if he got up the nerve to ask his teacher out on a date. Oh - excuse me."

Allison's stunning entrance was enough to pull his attention away from Jo, and she moved out of the throng to the counter where Vincent, still in his suit, was serving drinks.

Was Dr. Grant right? Had this Zane wanted to date her just as hers had? Maybe in this timeline she had never given him a chance.

Maybe it was time he got one.

XXXXX

Zane could not believe he had actually done it. He was going on a date with Jo Lupo. Yeah... it was not exactly a real date, and he had paid for it with a good chunk of change. But it was worth it to have Lupo on her best behavior with him.

Ever since she had started being nice to him, all his old fantasies of her had started resurfacing. And once he had seen her in the killer red dress, he knew he would never get over not trying for the date.

"So will you taser me if I tell you how wonderful you look?" He could not help his teasing remark as he sat down next to her at the counter, his account lighter by a considerable amount but his wallet heavier with two tickets to some ballet in the city.

"Only if you want me to," she retorted with a raised eyebrow, and Zane nearly fell off his chair. Jo was flirting with him?

"Maybe later. We have a show to attend." He stood and jokingly offered her his arm. He wished he had worn a jacket tonight, but his button down would have to do. He used to dress up a bit more, back before he became known as the town screw-up.

He was gratified when after a moment's pause, when he thought she was going to leave him looking like an idiot, she took his arm.

"I'll be back for my things later," she told Vincent as she did.

"Take your time," Vincent called, a delighted look on his face.

"I didn't really plan on passengers tonight," Zane explained as they left the cafe, embarrassed. He only had one helmet, and while he would have loved to see Jo atop his motorcycle, especially in that side slit, she would be far too cold.

"I was planning on driving anyway," she smiled. Jo's little blue car, newly repaired, had one of the parking spaces in front of the cafe.

She she pulled away from the curb, Zane realized just how awkward this might get. What were they supposed to talk about? Work? What he had screwed up this month? So he sat there in silence trying to figure out a way to start a conversation with Jo Lupo, his arch nemesis.

Luckily she spoke first. "Thank you again, if no one has said it yet."

"For what?"

"The auction. The money raised will go towards breast cancer research at GD. So, thank you."

Great. She looked as awkward as he felt. "I'm ... sorry, Jo. I know you'd rather be out on this date with almost anyone else."

She looked over at him, and she looked a little confused. "Why would you think that?"

He shrugged. "Come on, JoJo. You're always on my ass about screwing up. And I try to make your job harder than it already is. I thought it would be nice to see each other outside of work. Not to mention you looked killer tonight."

Maybe he was going out of his mind, but she may have blushed. "Thanks."

He opened his mouth, and eventually chose the path he thought would lead to the least amount of bodily harm. "So... ballet?" Whose idea was it to take GI Jane to a ballet?

Apparently hers. "I love ballet," Jo stated, her tone daring him to make fun of her.

Zane decided not to rile her any more. After all, she had gotten all dressed up. "I'm sure it'll be nice."

A few hours later Zane still did not have any sort of appreciation for ballet, but he did have a growing one for Jo Lupo. She had been funny and nice and laughed at his jokes, three things Jo Lupo was not known for.

"Not exactly how I imagined our first date to go," he joked, as they pulled up in front of Cafe Diem. It was late, and though the lights were still on, very few people remained inside.

At her look he rushed to correct himself. "Fake date, sorry. You didn't really have an opportunity to turn me down."

He grew a little nervous when she did not smile, but the evening had gone so well he hoped she would not take offense. He was unprepared for what she did say.

"How had you imagined it?" Her voice was soft, and he could tell that she had grown serious.

"I don't know, Jo. You, me, food?"

"You should ask me sometime."

He sighed, slightly frustrated and very confused. "I did, Jo. Several times. And you shot me down every time. I guess I finally got the hint."

"Well ask me again. If you're still interested. Although I can how imagine suffering through an hour and a half of ballet would make it seem unappealing." He could tell she was making an effort to smile.

"Are you asking me out, JoJo?" Zane was surprised. Very surprised. He felt guilty when he saw her face close up again into an unreadable mask. For a while there she had been open and almost... vulnerable.

"Forget it, Zane. Thanks for donating to help the research." She turned and looked out her window again, and Zane could tell he was being dismissed. Of course, he did not take direction well.

"What are you doing now, JoJo?"

"Waiting for you to get out of my car," she muttered.

"No, I meant now that the official auction date is over." Zane waited until she had turned to look at him before continuing. "Food, Jo. You, me, and food."

"Right now?"

"You need to get the rest of your stuff anyway, right?"

He saw her considering it, and he hoped, really really hoped, he had not just made a fool of himself yet again.

But she smiled at him, in a way he had never seen Jo Lupo smile at anyone. "Yeah, sure. You, me. Food."

XXXXX

While Jo changed back in to her normal clothes, Zane sat down at a table near the fireplace. "How'd it go?" Vincent asked, coming around to his table with a menu.

"The ballet?" Zane shrugged. "Fine. But I'm actually expecting someone..." He gestured to the empty chair across from him.

Looked looked back at Zane with surprise. "Another date... in one night? With who?"

Just then Jo walked out into the main dining area. She was wearing basic cargo pants and a skin tight black sweater, but her hair and makeup were still done up fancy for her earlier outfit. She looked around, and when she saw Zane, she smiled and started moving in his direction.

"Jo Lupo? On a real date?"

"Yeah. One she isn't being forced to go on with me."

"I'm impressed!" Vincent finally whispered.

"Me too."


End file.
